Category: Blog_Post

Kingston Creative, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank Lab (IDB Lab) and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is introducing a Travel Grant Programme which will facilitate visits to overseas markets by six creative entrepreneurs between August 2022 – December 2023. This year, three Jamaican creatives will participate in creative fora and festivals in Mexico, Haiti & Curacao respectively.

The artists participating in this year’s Travel Grant programme are Kenardo Ellis (musician), Anthony Smith (visual artist), and Matthew McCarthy (visual artist). They will be participating in the UNESCO Creative Cities Forum in Querétaro, Mexico, the Kaya Kaya Festival in Curaçao, and the Festi Graffiti Festival in Haiti respectively.

“Travel is essential for Caribbean artists,” stated Andrea Dempster Chung, Executive Director of Kingston Creative. “Not only does it give inspiration and foster collaboration, it allows artists to reach new customers. We have a relatively small market in Jamaica for creative services and it is important that our artists have the opportunity to showcase their talent, export their artwork and develop strong business connections in other regions of the world. This is a very exciting programme and a big part of what we are doing is giving creatives access to income-earning opportunities they would not usually get.”

Kenardo ‘Ken’ Ellis, reggae musician and Travel Grant participant said, “This is a great time opportunity for creatives looking to expand their reach. This integration will bring forth more diverse opportunities to grow our creative culture and foster collective partnership among creatives from various parts of the world. I am more than grateful and honoured to be a part of this initiative.”

“The travel grant makes perfect sense for an emerging creative scene like Jamaica,” said Matthew McCarthy, “Kingston Creative understood that people want to connect and there are many opportunities to do so if things are coordinated well. I’m really grateful for that aspect. The grant helps to make these connections more seamless.”

“I am humbled to be part of Kingston Creative’s first travel grant.” Anthony Smith, Travel Grant participant stated, “ It’s an awesome thing to see what a collaboration of aligned values and interests can do for the creative economy at the national level. Great things are in store.”

Kingston Creative will launch an annual summit this month, the Kingston Culture Forum. The Kingston Culture Forum is a conference convening cultural and creative industry stakeholders in the public, private, academic and social sectors. The theme for the event will be “Downtown Kingston: creative economy, placemaking and sustainable urban development”.

The first staging, slated for September 24th of this year, aims to attract a wide audience with participation from local creatives, as well as regional and global participants. The Kingston Culture Forum will focus on centering cultural and creative dialogue on Downtown Kingston, building confidence in using technology for the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage and promotion of creative industries and to also advocate for a data-driven approach to cultural and creative industry policymaking.

The Kingston Creative Culture Forum programme will include the following components:

• Museums, and heritage institutions and their role in preserving cultural memory in the digital age – Moderated by – Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah, Institute Caribbean Studies
• Creative Placemaking and Urban Regeneration in Cultural and Creative Cities – Moderator – Moderated by – Ms. Maxine Fisher-Casserly, Urban Development Corporation
• Policies for growing cultural and creative industries through the Festival/Experience economy – Moderated by – Mr. Harold Davis, Jamaica Business Development Corporation
• Capacity building in communities: promoting creative industry and preserving heritage in at-risk communities – Moderated by – Ms. Rhian Holder, Jamaica Social Investment Fund
• Creative Partnership & Opportunity Pitch – Moderated by – Mr. Kimalea Campbell, Executive Director, Weekly Projects
• ‘CreaTech’: best practices in Creativity and Technology amongst creatives – Moderator – Dr. Isis Semaj-Hall, Pree Lit Magazine

Additionally, the event will feature a performance by Sevana and an extensive list of esteemed guest speakers including:

• Jherane Patmore, Rebel Women Lit
• Joshua Chamberlain, The Alpha Institute
• Renee Robinson, JAMPRO
• Michael Holgate, The Ashe Company
• Kevin Jackson, Jamaican Animation Nation Network
• Dr. Shani Roper, University of the West Indies Museum
• Justine Henzell, Calabash Literary Festival
• Howard McIntosh, Economic Advisory Board
• Charmaine Brimm, Planning Institute of Jamaica
• JLL, Music Producer
• O’Neil Lawrence, National Gallery of Jamaica

More participants will be announced. To register and for more information please visit – bit.ly/kingstoncultureforumregistration

Given the importance of the cultural and creative industries to the vitality of Jamaica and the region, Kingston Creative wants to address the global challenges, and consider the role that technology, enabled by public-private-third sector partnerships, will play in sustainable development through preserving cultural heritage and promoting the creative industry.

Kingston Creative transforms the monthly Artwalk festival experience by going virtual on Sunday, March 29, 2020. Amid the outbreak of the unprecedented Coronavirus (COVID-19), small businesses and entrepreneurs in the creative sector are likely to be affected by the increased social distancing. The Virtual Artwalk will give artists and creative entrepreneurs an opportunity to earn from virtual performances and promotions. The inaugural Virtual Artwalk is the first digital commission of a newly created fund aimed at hosting various virtual art activities, sponsored by Sagicor, tTech and Tourism Enhancement Fund, First 50 sponsors of the Downtown Kingston Art District. Creatives can access this fund between March 20 – May 31, 2020 by emailing [email protected] The exciting Artwalk experience kicks off on Kingston Creative’s IGTV channel at 11 am until 2 pm with performances from various artists and a showcase from vendors that will allow the audience to enjoy the arts while they shop for locally made creative products. The virtual experience will be made available on Kingston Creative’s Youtube channel after March 29, 2020. This month’s theme is Literature, and we will be enjoying performances from the likes of:

• Jamaica Poetry Society – Poetry Corner featuring the poets: Wise Wurdz & Toots Hibbert, Ann Margaret Lim, Casey Garvey, Maverick, Peta-Gay Williams, Cherry Natural
• Iya Tear – Musician from Trench Town

• Christine Wright –  Animated Storyteller

• Long Story Short – Modern Jamaican Storytelling with Charl Baker

• Ania Freer “Goat Curry Gallery” 2 documentary films on Alexander ‘Bamboo King’ Dempster (b.1955), Annotto Bay, St. Mary, and Albert ‘St John’ Phipps (b.1958), Port Antonio, Portland

• Majah – Dub Poetry Performance

• Rebel Women Lit – Virtual Book Club presents Quaren-Reads

• Ozoune and Pon Fyah – Jazz Band

• Tahelia Taylor – Experimental Poetry

The official virtual after-party will be led by DJ Fenix as an Instagram LIVE from Kingston Creative’s account @kingstoncreativejm. The Virtual Artwalk will happen every Last Sunday of the month, on Kingston Creative’s IGTV channel from March – June 2020 with the footage available on Kingston Creatives YouTube Channel afterward. Persons and/or organizations interested in being a part of the series of Virtual Artwalks are encouraged to email [email protected] For bookings or additional details please contact: Tavia Benjamin Kingston Creative Tel: (876) 844-1954 Email: [email protected] ABOUT KINGSTON CREATIVE

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Kingston Creative is a non-profit organization that believes in using creativity and culture to empower creatives and transform the city.  They believe that the cultural and creative industries can be a catalyst for national development and are developing an Art District and Creative Hub in Downtown Kingston, Jamaica. Kingston Creative is developing an Art District and Creative Hub in what they call the creative capital of the Caribbean, Downtown Kingston, Jamaica in partnership with “First 50” Sponsors. You can follow Kingston Creative on social media Instagram, Facebook and on Twitter or visit the website for more info or to get involved.     <style>#hero {background:black;height: 400px !important;}.single .hero-fullwidth .title-service h2 {color: white !important;}.article-img{display:none}#widget-area {display:none}.col-lg-8{width:100%} p{font-size:16px !important}</style>  

 

                     

Kingston Creative: A Legacy of Transformation & Impact

Kingston Creative, a Jamaican arts non-governmental organization (NGO), has been a staunch advocate for the country’s artists, creatives, and cultural practitioners. Over the past eight years, the organization has spearheaded efforts to transform Downtown Kingston into a world-class Art District, serving as a hub for the arts, innovation, and the growth of the creative economy.

Renowned globally as a cultural superpower, Jamaica boasts an abundance of innate talent. Kingston Creative’s mission is to harness this talent and convert it into sustainable social and economic development, benefitting creatives and the country at large. Their strategy focuses on fostering partnerships and cultivating a thriving ecosystem where creative entrepreneurs and their businesses can flourish.

Through intentional action and a collaborative approach, Kingston Creative is paving the way for a vibrant and prosperous future for young creatives in Jamaica. As Kingston Creative celebrates its eight year anniversary in February 2025, from global collaborations to award-winning projects, here are eight standout moments in the organization’s journey.

 

#1  The Artwalk Festival (2018) ~ Public Arts Festival in Downtown Kingston

Conceptualised as a free walk from the street art hub at Water Lane to various cultural spaces across Downtown Kingston, the monthly Artwalk Festival was launched in April 2018 and this event has become a cornerstone of Kingston’s cultural landscape.  Over the years, Kingston Creative has collaborated with numerous artists and arts institutions on the festival, including the National Gallery of Jamaica, the National museum, Simon Bolivar centre, CreativSpace Art Gallery, Liberty Hall, the Jamaica Conference Centre and more. The festival has attracted thousands of visitors to Downtown Kingston and provided a platform for artists, musicians, and performers to showcase their talents. Over the 81 editions, artisans and performing artists have been able to earn significant income from the sales of their creative products and services. The main impact is the reduction in stigma associated with Downtown Kingston.  It is now being viewed as a viable venue for events and night life.

 

#2  Paint the City (2018) ~ Developing an Art District

The street art gallery referred to colloquially as just ‘the Artwalk’ started in November 2018 when acclaimed Jamaican artist Bernard Hoyes painted his mural “Celebration” on the back of the Swiss Stores building in Water Lane. Over the years Kingston Creative has installed over 116 murals across Jamaica, from Black River to Downtown Kingston in partnership with the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Sherwin Williams and other partners. This initiative has brought together Jamaican artists and community members and catalyzed new income-earning opportunities for visual artists across the island. From a neglected back alley, Kingston now has an Art District.  The rising popularity of murals has resulted in the development of a viable industry for artists who now are in demand to produce murals all over the country.  One of the biggest impacts is the new visitor traffic to Water Lane, as tourists arrive in groups to see stunning murals that celebrate our rich cultural heritage.

 

#3  Kingston Creative Coworking Space (2020) ~ A Home For Creatives

The Kingston Creative Coworking Space is a multipurpose arts venue located in Kingston’s historic Downtown Kingston business district at 107 Harbour Street, the intersection of Church Street and Water Lane.  Founded in 2020 with the support of the Development Bank of Jamaica and the Tourism Enhancement Fund, it houses several creative businesses and serves as a home for a diverse community of artists and creatives.

An MTV Tiny Desk Concert, featuring recording artist Sevana, was filmed at the location and broadcast across the world. The space also boasts a podcast studio with lighting and recording equipment for rent. Kingston Creative offers wall space to feature rotating exhibitions by artists and also allocates free storefront space for artisans and makers.  In addition, the space prioritizes nurturing the development of other arts organizations by offering its boardroom meeting space free of cost to various groups.

Over the years, this hub has played a crucial role in fostering innovation within Jamaica’s creative sector and has been home to hackathons, pitch competitions, incubators and accelerator programmes.  The main impact of the coworking space is its function as a venue for creative events and as a content creation space which delivers across core sectors and catalyses innovation and growth.

 

#4  CREATECH (2021) ~ A 3-year Technology Collaboration with IDB Lab

Kingston Creative partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank’s IDB Lab on a groundbreaking project to develop the local Creative ecosystem in Jamaica, thereby fostering creative entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. Winner of the IDB Excellence in Project Execution Award in 2023, the CREATECH programme benefitted over 1,500 creatives over three years, investing over $1.3 million USD in the sector. Createch equipped creative entrepreneurs with the platforms, business skills, funding, travel opportunities and mentorship needed to grow their businesses and contribute to Jamaica’s creative economy. The impact of Createch was a renewed awareness of the potential of MSME entrepreneurs within the cultural and creative industries to make a positive impact on the overall economy.

 

#5  Launched 2 New Digital Platforms for Creatives (2022)

Kingston Creative has taken a major step toward empowering regional artists with the launch of the Caribbean Creative Network, a new digital platform of over 500 artists, aimed at fostering cross-border collaboration in the creative sector. The platform is accessible at Caribbean Creative Network, and seeks to bridge gaps in the visibility of artists across the Caribbean.

In addition, the organization has introduced the Kulcha Connect App (Kulcha Connect), an e-commerce platform designed to streamline cross-border payments for Jamaican artists, promote cultural tourism and increase the sales of cultural products and services. The app not only facilitates financial transactions but also showcases events by local creatives and offers guided tours of Downtown Kingston, further promoting the city’s rich cultural heritage.

 

#6  World’s Best Creative Destination (2023) ~ Global Tourism Award

Downtown Kingston’s Art District earned global recognition in 2023, securing the title of “World’s Best Creative Destination”. The city was selected from a competitive field of 152 applications spanning 28 countries. The winning application was presented to Kingston Creative, highlighting the city’s dynamic arts and cultural scene. The prestigious award was officially handed over to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett by Caroline Couret, director of the Creative Tourism Network, on behalf of the international selection committee during a ceremony in Berlin, Germany.

 

#7  Global Climate Change Project, ‘A Feral Commons’ (2022)

Kingston Creative was a partner in “A Feral Commons”, a climate change arts initiative that leverages art, culture, and community engagement to address environmental challenges while fostering artists’ international collaboration. Through partnerships with organizations like the Global Cultural Districts Network and Alserkal Initiatives, the project has facilitated artistic exchanges between Kingston, Jamaica, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Dubai, UAE, creating opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue and creative innovation. These exchanges have not only expanded the global presence of Jamaican artists like Camille Chedda, but have also catalyzed international funding opportunities and strengthened cultural diplomacy efforts. Through programmes like this, Kingston Creative has sent over 10 artists abroad on travel grants to the UK, Germany, Haiti, Mexico, USA, Curacao, Colombia.

#8 Adopt-A-Block Crowdfunding Initiative (2024)

The Adopt A Block initiative is a ground-up crowdfunding initiative designed to reshape urban spaces in Kingston by enrolling public and private sector entities and the general public to contribute to developing a block of Downtown.  The project is driven by partners like Barita, Digicel, PwC, Bank of Jamaica, VM Group, National Bakery, and Gore, to add essential infrastructure such as shade, solar lighting, recycling, seating, signage and security—elevating the city’s reputation as a global cultural destination and having a powerful economic impact.

Each of these eight milestones underscores Kingston Creative’s commitment to empowering artists, revitalizing urban spaces, and expanding Jamaica’s creative economy. By championing the cultural and creative industries, the organization is not only fostering local talent but also positioning Jamaica as a global leader in the sector. Looking ahead, Kingston Creative remains focused on its mission: leveraging art and culture as catalysts for sustainable economic growth and social transformation not only in the capital city of Kingston, but across the island.

Kingston Creative is a non-profit charity organization, funded by grants and donations. To support the work of Kingston Creative, please visit www.kingstoncreative.org/donate. If you are interested in supporting the artists and the transformation of Downtown, you can donate via PayPal, through AFJ or directly to Kingston Creative.  On Pay Pal you can set up a monthly recurring or one-time payment to support the cause.  American Friends of Jamaica is a registered 501(c) 3 tax exempt organisation in the USA and US residents can donate through them to receive a tax exemption.  Jamaicans can also donate tax free directly to Kingston Creative as they are a registered charity organisation.  For more information, please call (876) 546-6943 or email [email protected].

Urban revitalization is on everyone’s radar as cities strive to remake blighted areas into economically productive and attractive spaces.  The United Nations recently launched “SDG Cities” through UN Habitat; a 1000 city global initiative to unleash the potential of cities to accelerate sustainable development and improve quality of life for all. Cities generate 80% of the world’s economy, and countries cannot afford to have their city centres in a state of decay. Formerly the thriving commercial and cultural centre of Jamaica, “Uptown” flight left Downtown Kingston underinvested and surrounded by some of the most densely populated, politicized, high crime and poverty ridden communities in the country.

 

A Downtown Renaissance

After over half a century of neglect, what remains is an interesting mix of established businesses, creative people, communities with a global cultural brand and architectural assets ripe for renovation. The harbour, churches, theatres, museums, eateries, history, shops, and street art all make cultural tourism a viable strategy for Downtown Kingston’s renaissance. As UNESCO recognized with the Creative City of Music designation in 2015, this is the crucible where most of Jamaica’s music was birthed. With solid leadership and investment, the old city can become an attractive space for locals and visitors alike, creating jobs and opportunities with business clusters for both the consumption and production of creative goods and services.

The Kingston Creative tagline is “art for social and economic transformation” and it useful to explore what that means when put in practice. When the arts are used to revitalize a space, it is generally referred to as ‘creative placemaking’.  This involves beautification, infrastructure improvement, as well as engaging communities in activating the space through festivals, live music, and events. Creative placemaking brings value to the city in diverse ways, such as artistic, educational, social, community, urban, environmental and economic value through cultural tourism and creative economy growth.

 

Avoiding the Dangers of Gentrification

The question is how the transformation of Downtown Kingston can be achieved without gentrification.  Gentrification is generally regarded as an undesirable side-effect of urban renewal campaigns. It involves the marginalization and displacement of existing residents and communities, because of increases in property values. This affects longtime residents, grassroots economic ventures such as street vending, markets, corner shops and bars, informal and traditional manufacturing, cottage industries and even community events such as street dances. A lot of this happens passively, and sometimes even unintentionally, but in its extreme form, gentrification involves active “social cleansing,” whereby poor and marginalized individuals and communities are deliberately targeted and removed from the area to make way for more “desirable” inhabitants (Janoschka & Sequera).

One can see how the well-meaning efforts to “beautify” and regenerate Downtown Kingston, could lead to the exclusion and eviction of residents to the sole benefit of developers and property owners.  The communities in danger of displacement are arguably the creators of the culture which is so critical to Jamaica’s identity and brand.  To displace a community of potters that have lived in Rose Town for centuries, passing on knowledge and skills from generation to generation, would be disastrous.  Disruption of networks of musicians in Trench Town could limit their ability to collaborate, innovate and create new genres of Jamaican music in the future. A street dance In Rae Town is a community affair, and it is not a stretch to say that in our fragile cultural ecosystem, largely unsupported by state structures, much of Jamaica’s cultural capital could be destroyed by gentrification of Downtown communities.

 

Social Justice & Partnership

There must be an element of social justice in any transformation process, and it has long been posited that the provision of affordable housing is the best way to prevent gentrification. We believe in a three-pronged approach grounded in strong public, private, and third-sector partnerships with coordination on matters of urban regeneration and creative economy growth. This partnership approach is key to achieving the balanced, inclusive development, that we seek in Downtown Kingston. Our partnership with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, CB Facey Foundation, Fight for Peace, Boys Town and PIOJ’s Community Renewal Programme are designed to ensure grassroots level inclusion and anti-gentrification.  Through the PIOJ, communities will soon be mapped to identify creative people and existing creative assets which must be centred in a ground up approach to development planning. The decision-making around culture and urban development must incorporate the interests of national and local government units, academia, grassroots movements, civic society, the residents of Downtown and the private sector.

 

Collaboration

Top-down and ground-up organizations and processes must work together to develop cities and simultaneously empower communities. Top-down plans generated by foreign consultants can be disconnected from community needs and destroy aspects of intangible heritage of which they are unaware.  However there are limitations to a ground-up approach, as it can also be ineffective in dealing with macro-planning issues like zoning, transportation, historical preservation policies and the necessary civil and technological infrastructure needed for growth.  We believe that that top-down policies need to meet the ground-up action.  This will result in a collaborative process underpinned by community co-creation and the deliberate inclusion of diverse voices at the decision-making table.

Kingston Creative believes that creativity is the ultimate sustainable resource, and we align our initiatives with Vision 2030 and achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We seek to collaborate, bridging gaps and aligning initiatives as much as possible so that redundancies are reduced, and synergies are achieved.  The creative agenda should be central at all levels of policy formulation, urban investment, and decision making.  We want to see a future in which Downtown Kingston is thriving, and the cultural and creative industries, which is powered by ordinary Jamaican people, are allocated the appropriate respect, resources, structure, and support to be widely acknowledged as one of the top industries driving growth in Jamaica.

 

 

Andrea Dempster-Chung, Executive Director, Kingston Creative

 

Andrea is the cofounder of Kingston Creative, a nonprofit charity organisation seeking to transform Downtown Kingston through Art and Culture. She is a strategic business coach and has held senior management roles in the Government of Jamaica, Digicel and Gracekennedy and is also the founder of Bookophilia, a bookstore that promotes Caribbean literature. She has served on the boards of Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), The National Land Agency (NLA) and the Public Health Committee. She recently managed the Arts portfolio for the British Council where she developed strategy and implemented key projects in film, literature and visual art, in order to drive the creative economy in Jamaica. Andrea studied Art and Finance at the Sotheby’s School of Art in London, Finance at the Stanford School of Business in California and is certified in Project Management. She holds a Master of Science in Structural Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Send your questions and comments to: [email protected]

Hey KC Fam! We are excited to, once again, share the amazing creatives that take part in our programmes! 

This week we will be sharing the creatives that took part in our Creative Hub Incubator Programme, done in partnership with the Kingston Creative Hub, IDB Labs and the Development Bank of Jamaica.
The Creative Hub Incubator is a 6 month programme that provides entrepreneurs with a workspace in the Kingston Creative Hub, mentorship and training sessions to achieve product market fit. 

Below are the amazing Creative Hub Incubator awardees!

1. Javier Dayes 

Javier Dayes is the multidisciplinary artist behind TheArtistJavier. Javier specialises in traditional painting, digital art, street art (including murals) and tableware! His unique style will definitely catch your attention and is an artist you should have on your radar! 

Learn more about Javier here: https://theartistjavier.wixsite.com/javier 

 

2. Amanda Lazarus 

Currently employed as a Part-Time Adjunct Lecturer of Photography at Edna Manley College (SCEAP Dept.), Amanda is also working hard at developing her own niche service; Photo Restoration and Digitization. Her passion for photography expands even further as she also specialises in boudoir photography.

Her photography skills and photo restoration services are worth seeing for yourself. She is truly a talent! 

Learn more about Amanda Lazarus here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-lazarus-ja/?originalSubdomain=jm  

 

 

3. Glen Henry 

Glen Henry is the face and fingers behind SpriteWrench Studios, an independent gaming studio that focuses on smaller, self-contained titles with an emphasis on narrative elements. He also offers consultancy services within his areas of expertise.  

Learn more about SpriteWrench Studios here: https://spritewrench.com/ 

4. Aquino Davis (Rouge) 

Aquino Davis, who prefers to go by the name Rogue,  is the talent behind the Jen Quinson  clothing brand. Specialising in beach wear, resort wear, sandals and lingerie, Rogue aspires to bring their grandmother’s dream of a clothing brand to life.  

Learn more about Jen Quinson here: https://www.instagram.com/jqkingstonwest/

 

 

 

 

5. Andre Hutchinson 

Andre Hutchinson is the author, designer and mind behind the Scribbles, a compelling story book series for all ages.

Learn more about Scribbles here: https://scribblespencil.com/about-us/  

 

 

6. Danijah Taylor 

Danijah Taylor is the owner of Studio Dan, a Jamaican-based production studio that focuses on “penpowerment”; the improvement of  literacy, creativity, and critical thinking in our youth. 

Learn more about Danijah here: https://www.instagram.com/writinggod/

 

7. Lisa Golding

Lisa Golding designs vibrant and uplifting stationery for ambitious women who are ready to heal, to reclaim their joy and thrive. She inspires positive thinking, joy and personal growth.

Learn more about Lisa here: https://www.behance.net/inspirespring?fbclid=IwAR1T_aHuVgbdLJRjOpd_PFkkqG3GT1FTbK-5u20sIBRIq4EeoVK1zzsV_7s 

 

8. Jerry Valentine 

Jerry Valentine is a serial entrepreneur and board enthusiast. He is owner and craftsman at BoadHaus a local woodshop that creates authentic Jamaican Woodcrafts and signs.

Learn more about BoadHaus here: https://boadhaus.com/ 

9. Rebecca Meek 

Rebecca Meek is a self taught designer and photographer. She has worked with companies such as RCA, Def Jam, Philip Johnson, Island Records, Sony Music, and Deutsche Grammophon and photographed icons such as Etta James, The Isley Brothers, Run DMC, Sly & Robbie, Capleton and DJ Quik.

Learn more about Rebecca here: https://rebeccameek.com/ 

 

10. Odari Pusey

Odari Pusey is the CEO of DARI Clothing, a clothing company that does custom embroidery, printing and graphics based on customer requests. 

Learn more about Odari Pusey here: https://www.instagram.com/dari_clothing/ 

 

11. Cleon Williams 

Cleon Williams is the founder of Final Render Animation Studio (F.R.A.S), an independent studio that creates immersive and dynamic content for global consumption and engagement within the animation and game development society. 

Learn more about Final Render Animation Studio: https://cleowillo.itch.io/ 

 

12. Khadijah Hurst 

Khadijah Hurst is the mind behind MoBay Link, a company that aims to become a thriving network of and for Entrepreneurs: to support and scaffold solid bases from which to thrive and promote their products, services, businesses, brands, and personalities both island-side and beyond Jamaicas shores.

Learn more about Khadijah here: https://www.facebook.com/MoBayLink/ 

 

The Creative Hub Incubator  is one of several initiatives under the Kingston Creative CREATECH programme, a partnership with IDB Lab designed to provide opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about CREATECH visit: https://kingstoncreative.org/createch/. 

Hey KC Fam! Hope you are doing great this Friday! This Friday, we are excited to introduce you to the awardees for our Go Global Accelerator Programme, one of the several programmes done under the CreaTech initiative, done in partnership with IDB Labs and the Development Bank of Jamaica!

In the Accelerator, 10 creative entrepreneurs were accepted as our first cohort. For 3 months, these creative entrepreneurs did courses to help improve:

1. Their business skills 
2. Their technology skills
3. Their ability to tap into global markets. 

We are proud of the progress these entrepreneurs have made in the Go Global Accelerator and are excited to share these creative entrepreneurs with you!

 1. Teika Samuda

Teika Samuda is the principal consultant at the Being Jamaican Tour Company. Being Jamaican offers authentic Jamaican experiences and curates packages that feature the best of Jamaica; highlighting its people, culture, music and natural beauty. Being Jamaican removes the hassles of planning and executing a trip, allowing clients to focus on enjoying the experience.

Follow Teika here: https://www.instagram.com/teikasamuda
And book your first Being Jamaican tour here: https://www.instagram.com/beingjamaican

2. Dainty Wilson

Dainty Wilson is the Managing Director of YAADBridge Entertainment, a film, television and audio production Company with a focus on creative production, audio-visual entertainment and talent management in the Caribbean.

Follow Dainty WIlson here: [link to personal page: https://instagram.com/daintyfaces
Learn more about YAADBridge here: https://yaadbridge.com

3. Sanjay Ramadan

You may know Sanjay as one of the hosts of the TVJ programme Intense, but in our Go Global Accelerator programme, he is the CEO of BELLEH23, a company that provides creative lodgings for International travelers with a core demographic of Dancehall Dancers internationally. 

Learn more about BELLEH23 here: http://www.belleh23ja.com

4. Jherane Patmore 

Jherane Patmore is the founder of Rebel Women Lit (RWL), a community of literary community-based in Jamaica, with members worldwide interested in using literature as a source of self-care. RWL has paid membership, an e-commerce bookstore, a podcast, and an active newsletter. 

Learn more about Rebel Women Lit here: https://www.rebelwomenlit.com

5. Adam Cummings

Adam Cummings is the CEO of Apeiron Digital Pro Ltd, is a creative digital media company that creates compelling visual content through photography, videography, digital cinematography and graphic design. They combine creative storytelling techniques with high quality visuals to move audiences and supply clients with what they need for their consumers.

Learn more about Apeiron Digital Pro Ltd here: https://www.instagram.com/apeiron.dp

6. Twain Richardson

Twain Richardson is the Colourist/ Finishing Editor at Frame of Reference Ltd (FoR), the leading post production studio in Jamaica. FoR is renowned for delivering exceptional video editing, colour grading, vfx, and motion graphics services to their clients and has developed an identity that provides reliability, efficiency and quality in all our services.

Follow Twain Richardson here: [link to IG: https://www.instagram.com/twainrichardson
Learn more about Frame of Reference here: https://www.facebook.com/forpostprod

7. Kaiel Eytle 

Kaiel Eytle is the CEO of Watooka Films Ltd, a company focused on developing original content for the screen. Taking IP from source material or IP stage right through both creative and business development stages to pair it with producers and distributors worldwide.

Learn more about Kaiel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaielaeytle/?originalSubdomain=jm#experience 

8. Monique Kennedy

Monique Kennedy is the CEO of Hold My Brand (HMB), a company that delivers on-demand branding services to start-ups and small businesses. Their clients (entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada) gain access to the expertise and support of a full branding team of qualified designers from Jamaica and the Caribbean, for the cost of hiring one (1) freelancer in North America and 60% less than hiring a traditional agency. 

The cornerstone of our operations is our project management framework that has allows us to cut the average delivery timeline of 6-12 weeks down to as little as one (1) day.
Learn more about Monique and Hold My Brand here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shesmonique/?originalSubdomain=jm 

9. Eileen Dunkley-Shim

If Eileen Dunkley-Shim seems familiar to you, that’s because on top of being a part of our Accelerator, she was the second place winner in our Best Pitch Forward Competition last year!
Eileen’s Netty’s Farm brand sells kombucha and strives to be Jamaica’s number 1 kombucha brand. Kombucha is a fermented fizzy tea, flavoured with fruits and spices. As of right now, Netty’s Farm kombucha now retails in 4 locations in Kingston and 1 cafe in Montego Bay. 

Learn more about Netty’s Farm here: https://www.instagram.com/nettysfarm

10. Alison Hinds

Alison Hinds is the brain behind AliCraftsJa, an art education operation that usually hosts Paint N Sip events. However they do occasional sales from selling artwork such as quote boards, paintings and pop-up cards.

Learn more about AliCraftsJa here: https://www.facebook.com/AlicraftsJa

 

The Go Global Accelerator is one of several initiatives under the Kingston Creative CREATECH programme, a partnership with IDB Lab designed to provide opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. To learn more about CREATECH visit: https://kingstoncreative.org/createch/. 

“Naomi: Avec Amour”

The most that I’ve done during my short time in the creative circle has primarily been my involvement in the areas of music and drama. I’ve had passing interests in photography, painting, animation, and even dancing. But fashion? I rarely ever considered it. I don’t even consider myself to be a fashionable type – I pretty much just go out in whatever I throw on. Even when I perform, I’ve realized that if a dress code isn’t provided, I’ll just turn up in whatever caught my eye as “comfortable” (given that the women in the house didn’t tell me to take it off first). So for the Kingston Creative Online Open Commission, and for my first time since honing the craft of blogging in the arts-therapy niche (musicandpain.com), I decided to look at what exactly a fashion designer does. Do they eat? Sleep? I had to know. I met Anita Alcott at The Edna Manley Visual and Performing Arts as a fashion design student in about 2013. She had a lovely personality, good looks, all those tings…but in retrospect, as I now type these words in 2020, I realize that I’ve never actually known what it’s like to do the work she does. She has always been designing; she’s always been working on something. She has been invited to present at a few fashion showcases (the Lust Yush annual fashion shows in 2018 and 2019, as well as the “Design Fusion” programme hosted by the Jamaica Business Development Corporation), and her design label “Naomi: Avec Amour” has considerable presence online and in fashion circles. I took a “scroll” by her LinkedIn page. The about section reads: “This is a fashion brand that was created through the inspiration of three powerful females on my life. Era’s such as the 30’s, 50’s and 60’s are where these designs are pulled from into the future as we say, fashion forward. Fashion for this brand is very important and personal as it was and still is named after my Aunt who passed away 7 years ago, and she is one of the inspirations for the brand as well. Her legacy lives on through my brand, Naomi: Avec Amour”. I asked her about how fashion inspires her. She says, “It’s both international and local. Why? Let me start with local first. Growing up, I have seen fashion legit play or change before my eyes where you know, say for instance, dancehall has its own look and so does reggae; and then internationally, hip hop has that little swag thing where you have dem baggy pants and dat kinda supm deh, throwbacks like a M.C. Hammer kinda thing. I basically pull inspiration from everywhere, or basically the changing that fashion does – that’s where I pull the inspiration from. But the thing is, I don’t allow it to change me as a designer – I make my impact in the fashion industry, so at the end of the day I don’t want people to say “Oh, she was inspired by M.C. Hammer because of the Harem pants”. No, mi nuh waan nuhbadi say that. I want people to say “Yow, what is your inspiration? Cuz I’d love to know how you came up with the designs,” yuh zimmi? That, that is what I love. And when I tell them the story of how the whole thing was created, and they go, “Oh”. 1. Who is one designer that inspires you (in any way) in fashion and why? “A fashion designer named Christian Siriano because of his story and how he became one of the top designers in an industry that shunned him for his designs, but he saw the need to make a difference in the world and have his voice be HEARD!”  2. What’s your designing process like? “My design process is tedious! It’s mainly about where and what inspires me. That inspiration then leads to designs and I mean a lot of designs. This then leads to fabrication (sourcing for fabrics), pattern making, drafts of the final pieces then a fitting then a second draft then a final product (told you, tedious *laughs*)” 3. I see on your IG that you’ve been featured on at least two fashion shows. How were you able to decide on what to showcase for them? “They worked with a theme and based on the theme of the show I find inspiration through that. I think it was at JBDCs’ (Design Fusion) where I found that out, when I did the Metamorphosis collection and they’re like, “Why “Metamorphosis?” I told them it was inspired by the butterfly and me transitioning into a better designer and a better version of myself based on what was happening to me last year. They stopped and looked at me and said, “This is the story that you should always tell through every single design”. I know this quarantine is gonna help to really transition that into every design despite the fact that I don’t have anybody to model for me (I do it myself sometimes). But, the industry changes and fashion is revolutionary and recycled, so I do try to go with the changes but I don’t let it change me too much.”  4. What is it like working with models? “It is exciting! I mean, to see that design on a body, fitted, flowing and moving, it’s beautiful.” 5. How does Jamaica represent itself through fashion? “I think us as Jamaicans, we have a distinct voice when it comes to fashion. We might be inspired by other countries but because of our diversity, we stand out.”  I asked Anita about her JBDC experience. “It’s mainly about helping entrepreneurs – beauty supplies, like makeup, facial soap, stuff like that – helping the entrepreneurs to get that jumpstart in how to manage your business. They taught us the financial aspect of the business, the marketing aspect, finding a niche, basically covering every single area for business itself. We also had to do a collection and explain the inspiration behind it (which is where my story about the metamorphosis of the butterfly comes into the picture). I took the colours black and white because the black of the cocoon turns to white, and white represents purity. The main thing I really took from the training apart from the business aspect, however, was to really get into the core foundation of what’s really inspiring me (in terms of fashion, or doing a collection) and see how I could start from scratch. The training lasted almost four months, with about 20 of us. It was a really good experience and I’d definitely do it again.”

6. Where do you see your brand in 5 years? “I see my brand making a change. I want to own ateliers around the world. I also would love to enter project runway to show others that no matter what you can make every dream a REALITY.” I asked her about her time at the Edna Manley College. “Fashion at Edna was not how I expected it to be. During one of my three rotations (jewelry, textiles and painting), I ended up doing textiles because the Visual Communication and Graphics classes were full. A very close friend and I then discovered upon registering that the textiles class broke into two parts, and the other option was fashion – so we chose it. We basically learnt more about fashion in Year 3. Since we were the “guinea pigs” for this program, I believe that what they should have done was to start from when we made our course selection. I mean, we did fashion illustration in Year 2, but like, we basically had limited fashion courses and too many theory courses – why would I need to know drawing when I’m doing fashion illustration? I don’t think they had thought about it the way that they should have, which is to say, streamline specific fashion courses only/mostly for the fashion students. ” She continued, “But overall it was good, and I learned a lot from one particular lecturer. It seems the fashion department have been closed since, but what I would have changed was the approach to fashion. Give us things that have to do with fashion, the theory of fashion, the history of fashion, fashion illustration….and not merge it with Ethics or Business of Art. Give us the Business of Fashion! Things that have to do with the fashion industry because mi nah go lie, a the “Design Fusion” programme a’ JBDC really help me understand business in general, as well as the core foundation of business when it comes to fashion. It’s completely different from everybody else own out there! 7. Do you have other creative outlet besides fashion? “Yes! I’m a blogger (under construction) and currently working on my 1st book. The book is basically a testimony of everything that I’ve been through. It’s like an autobiography/memoir/testimonial. It’s mainly about my experiences – heartbreak, my faith in Christianity, all of the works.”  8. What are some of the challenges you face? The main challenge I face is fabric shortage especially if it is shipped from overseas.  Confused, I asked, “When it comes to local fabric, is it that it isn’t good enough? Or is it that we don’t produce enough of what is desired to meet the demands of local designers?” Her response was, surprisingly, that we rarely (if ever) produce material at all. “Ping’s Fabrics (a well-known local supplier) gets theirs from China. Pablo’s Fabric Store (another local fabric brand) gets theirs from L.P. Azar who has their own fabric company.” She continued, “The fabric quality could be better honestly but it’s all we have right now. There are ways to get fabric from overseas as there are fabric stores with real quality fabrics we can order from. The issue is the time it takes to get HERE.” 9. How do you think the onset of this current pandemic is affecting the world of fashion? “Though there’s a pandemic, the industry is seen helping out the best way that we can. Yes there is a pause on current shows for fashion week, but I’ve seen designers both local and international help with making masks and donating and selling them and that’s remarkable.” On this note, I had to stop her. “Regarding these masks,” I said with some skepticism, “how did you decide to get involved in production?” I wanted to get into how her brand of masks compared to the rest I had seen advertised online. In my novice opinion, masks made without the N95 filtration material could not be necessarily trusted for one’s health. Anita had this to say: “It is really based on a need for the masks in my community, or orders placed by other customers. I only use cotton-based material, and I double it. I see other designers using fabrics that aren’t breathable and it’s disappointing to be honest because they’re looking at the profit and fashion – but not safety. I know how sensitive the skin is so I use ribbons instead of elastic.” I remembered that she had previously mentioned Christian Siriano as an inspiration and asked if there was anyone that she looked up to in the local fashion scene. “YEEEEEEEEES! Ayanna Dixon!!! Her journey through fashion is amazing and inspiring. She worked in New York with Donna Karan, a top designer, then she came back here and with the help of JBDC she took off.” 10. What would you do if you were the Prime Minister for a month? ”I’ve always loved helping people and I think that would be my core focus in that position.”  Intrigued, I pressed a bit further to find out what her thoughts were about government involvement in the small creative business sector. “At first, I thought the government could do a lot more for entrepreneurs with small, medium or large enterprises. But, I realize that JBDC is the reason why the government starts paying attention to entrepreneurs. One Member of Parliament is Floyd Green. That man embodies the core of support when it comes to business. He wants to know about it. When we were having the “Design Fusion” graduation ceremony, he came and spoke about being different and wanting to stand out. As a designer, you don’t want to go on the road and people say, “Oh, I’ve seen that style before because I know someone who does it like this”. I strive for individuality when it comes to my brand, my designs, everything. This isolation is kind of difficult in sense, because it’s so, so hard for people to find their creative juices flowing without going out and being inspired. I have a bit of an anxiety problem if I’m isolated for too long, so I try to do something to prevent it from triggering. The government is doing better now than they were before, as they used to focus more on importing from and highlighting designers overseas when so many creative designers are already here. It’s not even funny – we are just here, in every parish, in every region – we are just here. Trust me, JBDC is doing all that they can (sometimes I believe they do too much, lol). Coming out of that programme, my views began to change. I started getting my business bags and tags after someone advised that regular bags just wouldn’t do, and now I even have a sales book and my branding and logo in order. Helping other small businesses will help them to support me. They can refer me as a designer, and I can reciprocate by referring them. In closing our interview, she sang praises once again regarding the “Design Fusion” programme. ”The best part about the JBDC initiative is that I can always go back for business consultation, and the incubator is always available for use once you get your time schedule cleared, so you can sew all day if you need to! They’re very accessible on social media, and they are literally there for you.” Naomi: Avec Amour can be contacted on Instagram: @naomi_avec_amour

The operators of the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) have announced an open call for the Kingston Airport Roundabout Art Monument Project that will transform the recently renovated roundabout into a cultural landmark.

The open call invites Jamaican artists, who are citizens and residents currently living in Jamaica, to create an iconic mural that will welcome visitors to Kingston and leave a lasting impression on departing travellers.

A new mural celebrating the cultural ties between Jamaica and Peru was unveiled on Tuesday, March 11 at Harbour Street in downtown Kingston’s Art District. Titled ‘Meet Me in the Mountains of Peru,’ the artwork was created by Jamaican artist Michael Elliot through a collaboration between Kingston Creative and the Embassy of Peru in Jamaica.

 

Ambassador of Peru Mario López Chávarri, who officiated the unveiling ceremony alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith, described the mural as a representation of friendship, integration, and cooperation between the two nations. He noted that it intertwines symbols from both countries, including Peru’s Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines hummingbird, alongside Jamaican mountains, musical instruments, and the Jonkonnu character Pitchy Patchy.

 

 

 

“This mural is a reminder from Peru to Jamaica, united also in art and culture, in traditions and knowledge,” López Chávarri said. He also announced that the Peruvian Embassy in Jamaica, which had closed in 1989, is expected to reopen in the second half of 2025.

Executive Director of Kingston Creative, Andrea Dempster Chung, highlighted the importance of artistic and cultural collaboration in revitalising downtown Kingston. “Art unites people across borders, and in these times, we at Kingston Creative feel that art has an even more important role to play, to remind us that there is more that unites us than divides us,” she said.

 

Kingston Creative, an arts nonprofit focused on developing Kingston as the creative capital of the Caribbean, has partnered with several international organisations to promote Jamaica’s culture. The collaboration with the Embassy of Peru adds to the district’s growing collection of outdoor murals, enhancing the space for both locals and visitors.

Elliot, looking at his artwork with pride, noted the different elements used to showcase comradery and history between the two countries.

“This piece features different symbols, the lama, the birds, the Inca chief, the hummingbird, that both Peru and Jamaica share as their national bird and many more,” he said.

López Chávarri closed his remarks with an invitation for Jamaicans to visit Peru, stating, “Peru awaits you.”

More photos from the unveiling ceremony:

 

 

 

Contact:
Khadijah Chang
Kingston Creative
Tel: (876) 851-3272
Email: [email protected]

RAE TOWN KICKS OFF JSIF EU COMMUNITY ARTWALKS FOR DOWNTOWN KINGSTON

Monday, January 27, 2020
Kingston, Jamaica

Women Empowering Women, a Community based organisation from Rae Town led by Colleen Campbell, recently partnered with Kingston Creative to host the Rae Town Artwalk on Saturday January 25th. This was the first event in a series of five cultural events that will take place in Rae Town, Tivoli Gardens, Beat Street, Allman Town and Trench Town this year.
Rae Town is a historic Downtown Kingston neighbourhood comprising a fishing village, boasting a spectacular view of the Kingston Harbour and world-renowned for its sound system dance. The cultural tour focused on Rae Street and included the General Penitentiary, the Cholera Cemetery, St Michael’s Primary School, the Salvation Army and Capricorn Inn, the home of the Rae Town Oldies Dance.
Patrons came from across Kingston, some driving into Rae Town and others taking the shuttle from Spanish Court Hotel to enjoy the performances and take the tours, which were guided by ten youth from the Elliston Road Police Youth Club. Some of the local talent on display included the St Michaels Primary dance troupe, the Paradise Street Early Childhood Institution dancers, the Southern Strikers Marching Band, Teshae Silvera, Jahnice Solomon, dancehall artist Kibauney and dancer Kimani David from the Young Blazers. Senor Daley from Classique Disco spun oldies hits all day and had the crowd dancing happily along.
Kingston Creative, Sherwin Williams and the Tourism Enhancement Fund also collaborated to create two murals on the Rae Town playing field as a part of the cultural activities. The community wanted the story of Rae Town to be told on the murals; the south-facing side depicting the fishing village, community life food and culture, and the northern side depicting the Rae Town Dance culture.
Two stunning murals were created by artists Deon Simone (“Rae Town Dance” and Shanique Stewart (“Rae Town Fishing Village”). The painting was a fun and inclusive community affair, with artists like Kimeka Rainford, Omar Valentine, Omar Bolton, Dwayne Brooks, Marvin Thomas, Alison West Martin and Jeana Lindo pitching in to lend a hand.
“The event is genius! I honestly think it is a great event and the talent highlighting the culture of Rae Town is amazing and I love how it brings the community together.” said Kehlesia Thompson from the Grace and Staff/ Grace Kennedy Foundation, who sponsored gift baskets, prizes and meals for the performing groups.

Shani Johnson, one of the performers commented, “It was a good event, especially when on the tour the community and the visitors interacted. One of my favourite moments was when a community member was transporting furniture and a visitor went and helped him. The tours were educational and informative and I would recommend it again.”

“The tour was very informative and since it’s my first time being in Rae Town, it was good to learn about the history and it is also good to have it in the community. I would love to come to more events like this.” said Sue Tanya McHorgh, a visitor to the community.

June Francis from the Capricorn Inn on Rae Street stated, “I really enjoyed it. This is my second time partnering with Kingston Creative and it was better than the last one. The experience was good.”